Elene Etxeberría

Happy and enjoying each of the races to the fullest; both in the Long Distance and in the Beach Race, this being the one I like the most.

And recently you have been consolidated as Spanish Champion of SUP Race in SUB16. You will be super happy!

Yes, because in the end, it is a reward for all the effort we make and at the same time, a motivation to continue training. Every year we are more girls and that is what motivates me the most to continue training.

We have followed you for many years with your brother Unax. But tell us about your beginnings in SUP and your growth with the entire Kairoscore team.

It was our cousins Jurgi and Ane Zulaika who got us hooked on this sport. They taught us to paddle and to enjoy the sea. We started rowing when we were 8-9 years old and so far we haven’t stopped. Actually, for us, SUP has been like a summer sport, as we ended the swimming season in July and started paddling. We are a small team that cannot always go out to train together, despite this, we are very close and share the feelings of training daily.

How was the experience in the Spanish Surfing Championship by Autonomies in Galicia with the Cantabrian team?

It was an awesome experience. I made new partners in and out of the water. The best thing was living in a different championship in which the important thing is the result as a team and not the individual result. The reception from the Cantabrian team was great. The atmosphere between us was very special and we supported each other. I ended up very happy with my contribution to the Beach Race.

How do you get along with the riders when you go competing across the country? What do you think of the atmosphere at the events?

I get along great with everyone and the atmosphere that usually forms at each event is incredible. Important competitions allow us to meet again more often and make more pineapple.

Tell us about Donosti and the places where you usually go paddling.

In Donosti there are three beaches, but above all, we paddle in La Concha, because it is a beach that is more protected by the bay. If the sea is not too strong, we go around Santa Clara Island and end up in an area called Pico del Loro where waves are formed with which we enjoy a lot at the end of the training. Sometimes we also usually go near the Zurriola, which stands out for its great waves.

With what other water sports do you combine Stand Up Paddle?

With swimming, although this year I will try to focus more thoroughly on SUP, keeping the pool as a compliment. I also love competing on Waterman type circuits where swimming, prone paddleboarding, running and stand up paddle are combined. They are tough but very fun tests. Once again, it was Jurgi who encouraged us to participate in this type of test.

SUP Race competitions make you travel a lot and see new places. Is it something that you enjoy a lot with your family?

You are right. I have travelled to many places and always with my family. I love paddling in different places with my brother Unax. On every trip I have a great time, we laugh together and those trips bring us together. These months are being intense. We have competitions almost every weekend but that’s what I like.

How have you lived the evolution of this sport on the boards and in the paddles? Have you noticed improvements in your paddling technique and physical performance?

With enthusiasm every time I have to change the board. An inflatable has nothing to do with a 12’6 hard board. Next year I upgrade and change the table to a 14’0 that I am already testing and with which I want to compete. My technique has evolved as the height of the paddles has been shortened. I hope SUP continues to evolve because it is a young sport and my technique with it.

SUP is growing a lot! How do you see yourself in a few years and what goals would you like to get?

My dream would be to attend the Paris event in the short term; to the SUP World Championship next year in Poland and to the EuroTour circuit. And in the longer term, to the Waterman of Tahiti, with Unax.

Thanks to…

To all my family for accompanying me to all places, for encouraging me, for helping me and for everything they are doing for us. Thanks to Jurgi and Ane, for teaching us to enjoy this magnificent sport and to my brother Unax, for encouraging me in so many moments, teaching me new tricks and giving me advice. Thanks also to the Kairoscore club for trusting us and supporting us in everything. Thank Jurgi for his efforts to prepare for our training sessions and go out on the water with us when he can.

Thanks Nico for interviewing me and making us enjoy this wonderful sport with your Up Suping posts.

CÓDIGO DE DESCUENTO ¨UPSUPING¨

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MEETINGTIME

Up Suping

Meetings are back! The presentations are back. The feedback is back. The meeting is back, something that after the presence of Covid-19 had to be suspended in person. But times improve and from Up Suping we have once again felt the warmth of the people and that information so necessary to face a new season.

We have travelled to Tarifa to enjoy the meeting of the Duotone, ION and Fanatic brands. As you well know, we are talking about brands that belong to the Kite, Wing, Foil and SUP sector among others. One of the main objectives of this meeting was to bring together the dealers from Spain and Portugal, to present all the 2022 material and talk about the current market situation.

The Hotel Los Lances in this city was the point where the different presentations of the aforementioned sports took place, spread over several days and in the morning. With the presence of the Wet Watersports and Boards & More team from Germany and with national and international riders, the presentations were very entertaining and with an excellent connection between the presenters and the dealers or media, as is the case of Up Suping.

After a few hours of meeting in the hotel’s auditorium, we would go to the Valdevaqueros beach, where the organization was waiting for us with all the current material and part of the 2022 collection to test. The truth is that for wind lovers, we have had excellent conditions for it every day of the meeting. Kite kites have taken over practically the entire area of the event, where Airton Cozzolino has offered us a great show with great tricks under the east wind with gusts of 50 knots.

And in addition, the Wing and the Foil have had a great presence, both in the water and in the novelties that are to come. This sport is growing rapidly, and the objective continues to be to adapt it to the entire public and with maximum performance. We have been able to see new construction on the mast for Foil and the new Unit, a Wing model from Duotone that will give a lot to talk about. And also an ION Wing Foil harness that will also be a centre of attention for lovers of this sport for years to come.

The French rider Fred Bonnef was in charge of presenting some novelties in the Fanatic brand section. The most notable change has been for the Blitz, a board that Fred has tweaked to make it more stable and competitive in flat water, but with the same performance as in an open sea, for example in downwinds. Inflatable boards will continue to be very strong in the marking, thanks to their great demand for their comfort and price, as well as their range of paddles.

And the most anticipated thing for all has been to see personally the new models of the Sky Wing. Wonderful boards for practising Wing Foil, ideal for those who begin to fly, to experts. And above all, big changes for more comfort and adaptability. Ah! And a board for absolutely EVERYTHING is the Bee ... which has already entered the market at the end of last year and is expected to gain more customers; since with it, you can do SUP Surf, Wing Foil, SUP and/or SUP Foil. A true gem.

And although at Up Suping we do not control the kitesurfing equipment so much, it has been very productive to know first hand the components for the development of the materials to go sailing and all the Duotone technology. Kites, surfkite boards and twintips, accessories and an endless number of products that offer athletes the possibility of enjoying this sport in a big way. As well as ION harnesses and accessories, which guarantee comfort and safety wherever you go.

In short: it has been a great pleasure to have seen the news of these great brands for 2022, which we are sure will be a great season for water sports and especially for Foil. Thank Wet Watersports for having our presence, the excellent treatment we have received and how they have taken care of us during our stay in Tarifa.